Thursday 20 September 2018 19:15, UK
Celine Herbin fired a career-best 62 to claim a two-shot lead after a low-scoring opening round of the Estrella Damm Mediterranean Ladies Open.
Herbin blitzed the Club de Golf Terramar for two eagles and five birdies while keeping a bogey off her card as she ended the day two clear of Anne Van Dam, with Scotland's Carly Booth one stroke further off the pace.
Dutch star Van Dam had set the early clubhouse target after rolling in eight birdies in her 64, but she was later surpassed by Herbin as the Frenchwoman eagled both the par-five sixth and 13th holes.
Herbin, whose only Ladies European Tour win came at the Lacoste Ladies Open in 2015, said: "You never expect a round like that. You just play hole by hole and you see what happens.
"I had good feelings this morning on the range. I played well, only missed one green and one fairway. I had two eagles in the same round, so that's nice. I had a couple of putts ending just out of the hole, so it would have been lower, but it was almost perfect.
"It was a general good feeling. I think my driving was very consistent and powerful and I could pick out the good side of the fairway to have a better angle to the green. My mental game was very good and I was relaxed and taking it easy. Whatever my score, in my mind I was still even and trying to make as many birdies as I could."
Booth is chasing her first victory since winning twice in six weeks during the 2012 LET season, and the 26-year-old also prospered playing alongside Herbin in the intense Spanish heat as she birdied three of her last four holes to return a 65.
"I played solid from tee to green and holed some putts, and it was great to have Celine as a playing partner as she played so solid and it pushed me on," Booth said.
"My only goal the last couple of weeks has been to enjoy myself and commit to things. Sometimes those five inches between your ears can take over. I've been out here for nearly nine years now and I've learned a lot. Sometimes I put too much pressure on myself to perform and it doesn't work so you have to at some point find another way.
"It's been a tough year but my game has never been far away. It's always been close but it's trying to find that little switch I needed to turn on to start scoring during tournament rounds."
Meanwhile, play was suspended at midday and the players congregated around the 15th green to observe a minute's silence in memory of Celia Barquin Arozamena, who was tragically murdered in Iowa earlier this week.
The Iowa State University student was just 22 years old, and Spanish compatriot Azahara Munoz said: "I told myself that this week I'm going to fight for every shot because unfortunately she is not going to be able to do it anymore, so I think we are all going to play for her this week."
